Netflix Reveals 45-Day Theatrical Window Plans for Warner Bros.

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When Netflix announced its plan to acquire Warner Bros. Pictures in December, many in the movie theater industry became concerned. Netflix has traditionally released its films directly to its streaming service, bypassing traditional theatrical releases. The Knives Out films illustrate this trend: the first movie enjoyed a wide release in cinemas, earning over $300 million despite a $40 million budget. However, after Netflix gained control of the franchise, the sequels received limited theatrical runs. In contrast, Warner Bros. had a very successful year in 2025, with popular films like Sinners, Superman, and A Minecraft Movie drawing large audiences. The big question now is: if Netflix takes over Warner Bros., will it stop releasing movies in theaters altogether and move everything to streaming?

Ever since Netflix announced it would be acquiring a movie studio, its CEO, Ted Sarandos, has been working to reassure people that the company will still release films in theaters. He recently discussed this on the podcast The Town, telling host Matthew Belloni that Netflix will indeed be involved in theatrical releases once the acquisition is complete.

Sarandos explained that new Warner Bros. movies will be shown in theaters for 45 days before becoming available for rental (PVOD) and then on HBO Max. He emphasized that they aren’t trying to eliminate the theatrical release model, but rather invest in it.

Warner Bros. now releases movies in stages. First, they play in theaters. Then, you can rent or buy them digitally. Finally, after about 90 days, they become available to stream with a subscription.

Can Ted Sarandos’ Word Be Trusted?


Warner Bros. Pictures

Ted Sarandos, the head of Netflix, has recently shifted his stance on releasing movies in theaters, and some people doubt his sincerity. He previously dismissed the theatrical experience as outdated and, just a few months ago, Netflix reportedly planned to stream Warner Bros. films only 17 days after their theatrical release. Now, the question is whether Sarandos has genuinely changed his mind, or if he’s simply telling regulators what they want to hear to get approval for Netflix’s $82.7 billion acquisition.

Reading between the lines of Sarandos’ statements, it seems he’s leaving himself some flexibility. He explained to the Senate Judiciary Committee that while the standard practice is a 45-day release window, this can change for films that don’t perform well. He specifically mentioned that Superman had a shorter window than usual.

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The movie Superman, a box office success with over $600 million in earnings on a $225 million budget, became available on HBO Max surprisingly quickly – just 70 days after its theatrical release and a month after becoming available for rental. Director James Gunn explained this was to allow fans to watch it before the finale of Peacemaker, as the two stories connect. It’s conceivable that Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos might intentionally set high expectations for Warner Bros. films and then release them on streaming sooner if they don’t meet those expectations, or even release them in fewer cinemas to begin with.

It’s also possible he’s genuinely become a fan of movie theaters and will support upcoming Warner Bros. films. For now, we’ll have to see if Sarandos follows through on his promise and whether Paramount can still challenge this agreement.

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2026-02-19 20:48